Courtney’s Movieblog

Stoner movies may be the best antidrug publicity there is. The stoner characters usually act so stupid that there can’t be any doubt that smoking weed really does kill brain cells.

Such is the case with the new film Pinapple Express, which contains the classic comedy formula of a duo being at the wrong place at the wrong time. The trouble begins with Dale (Seth Rogen) trying to escape the usual doldrums of his life by dressing up in funny costumes to spice up his job of serving legal papers, dating a high school girl, and smoking rare weed provided by his dealer Saul (James Franco). But while serving legal papers to another drug dealer, he witnesses a murder. He flees, but unfortunately for him, he leaves behind a stogie containing the rare “Pinapple Express” weed, which leads the criminals directly to him and Saul. The two are forced to run for their lives, unwittingly getting further entangled in a huge drug-making scheme.

The film is at its funniest when Saul and Dale are trying to figure things out under the influence. Nothing they say makes any sense whatsoever, yet that doesn’t stop it from being hilarious. However, it loses some of its vigor as the film turns from comedy to action as the witless wonders confront the bad guys. It gets so over-the-top that any person would have to admit that the premise was stupid, even as they laugh.

I haven’t seen a lot of Seth Rogen’s other films to make a fair judgement of his performance, though from what I heard he basically plays the same slacker character in every movie. On the other hand, it was great to see James Franco in a role that doesn’t involve constant whining and brooding like he did in Spider-Man. Though Saul is pretty much the same as every stoner movie character, his cluelessness and harebrained ideas that result from getting high make him a likeable yet idiotic guy. He and Rogen also have great comedic chemistry, because although Rogen is the more serious of the duo, they are equals in terms of (lack of) intellectual capacity. Sometimes, it’s hard to tell if they’re acting high or if they really did smoke a doobie in order to seem more realistic.

So if you are a fan of stoner comedies, this would a good one to see.

6 out of 10 Sparty Heads

I usually see more movies on TV than in theaters, some for the very first time. So here’s an overview of the movies I’ve been watching lately:

10 Things I Hate About You: It’s the first time I’ve seen this since Heath Ledger’s passing. Maybe it’s true that you never appreciate some actors until they’re gone, because even though this is just another teen movie, I couldn’t get enough of his character. He was so hot, and he and Julia Stiles had good chemistry.

Penelope: A really cute fairy tale movie about a girl (Christina Ricci) cursed with a pig’s nose, which can only be cured by the love of a blueblood. I didn’t get why all her potential suitors were repulsed by her nose, because it wasn’t that ugly. In fact, it was kind of cute. But I guess that was supposed to show how shallow they all were. The best part of the movie is that she learned to like herself before she found true love, which helped her in more ways then one. I don’t want to spoil anything, so you should see for yourself.

Miss Congeniality: A refreshing take on the cliche “makeover” story. I loved the comedic interplay between Sandra Bullock and Michael Caine.

Fantastic Four: Maybe not the best Marvel superhero movie, but at least it was funny. No doubt a third one is in the works.

Diary of a Mad Black Woman and Madea’s Family Reunion: Tyler Perry’s infamous drag queen seems a bit out of place in a romantic melodrama, but all her scenes were funny. And at least she doesn’t take crap from anyone.

Nanny McPhee: If you’ve seen one nanny movie, you’ve probably seen them all, though these kids’ behavior were ten times worse than the ones in the other films. However, I liked Emma Thompson as Nanny McPhee. The only part I didn’t understand is why the children behaving better made her pretty. Doesn’t that kind of defeat the message of inner beauty and how looks don’t matter?

Spaceballs: The best spoof of Star Wars ever. Ironically, the plot itself is easier to follow than that of Star Wars, or at least the prequels.

Next entry I’ll review some of the new previews/commercials I’ve seen. Until then, feel free to comment and may the Schwartz be with you!

Did anybody hear about the car accident Morgan Freeman was in? Apparently, it was serious, though he was conscious enough to make jokes at people who gathered around to take pictures (seriously, does no one have integrity?).

I hope he’s going to be okay. Still, I can’t help thinking that this is another example of how The Dark Knight is cursed. At least it’s still No. 1 at the box office. How embarassing would it have been to fall in second to the third Mummy flick?

One of these things I don’t normally like in movies are downer endings, or depressing movies in general. However, that doesn’t mean I like some movies that happen to have sad endings. Amadeus, for example, is one of my favorite movies of all time, and it’s about two composers that destroy both themselves and each other: Mozart dies young (though his music remains immortal) while Salieri rots in an insane asylum, tormented by his jealousy. From a cold perspective, that is a big downer.

But you have to admit that some movies are so depressing that it’s difficult to watch. Even if the films are brilliant, real life is sad enough without movies showing how worse things could be. So here are what I think are the 10 most depressing films:

1. Million Dollar Baby: It’s a good thing I didn’t see the film back when I saw the first trailer; I thought it would be fun because it looked like a female Rocky. The relationship between Clint Eastwood and Hillary Swank is poignant because it’s the only bright spot in their otherwise tragic lives (both their families hate them). And then Hillary ends up paralyzed from a fight, bringing the whole assisted suicide issue to a painful light.

2. Philadelphia: Any movie about a terminally ill person is sad, but to watch Tom Hanks’ character physically deteriorate from AIDS before your eyes is almost too painful to bear. What makes the whole thing worse is that he has to endure prejudice with the legal case, but still, you can’t help but admire how he wasn’t going to let his former employees treat him that way.

3. Brokeback Mountain: A film where all the characters’ lives are ruined in some way. And the last scene with Ennis (Heath Ledger) looking at Jack’s shirt never fails to bring tears.

4. Mystic River: This story is pure tragedy. A guy is molested as a kid, then when he grows up, he is accused of killing the daughter of one of his friends, then is killed by the vengeful father, only to later discover that the guy was innocent all along. And to top it all off, it was the guy’s own wife who told the father she thought he was guilty!

5. Sweeney Todd: Proof that not all musicals are campy fun. Tim Burton manages to make it even more sad by removing some of the more lighthearted elements from the original Broadway musical, like Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett making jokes about what kind of victims they’ll use in their “recipe”.

6. Romeo and Juliet: Shakespeare was the master of tragedy, and this one was a big one. Two families aren’t able to resolve their petty feud until their lovesick teens kill themselves. Which, in my opinion was a waste. Considering the fact that Romeo and Juliet barely knew each other, they might not have really loved each other in the first place.

7. Sin City: A dystopic city where all the bad guys are in power and all the good guys have to sacrifice their lives and decency in order to do what they think is right. Though I think the idea of gun-toting hookers was kind of cool.

8. The Dark Knight: Yes, this was a spectacular film, but getting past all the parts with the Joker, it is really sad. I mean, it shows how easily human beings can be corrupted in order to survive, no matter how good their intentions are. And Batman, the real hero, isn’t trusted by the public because of the whole vigilante issue.

9. Cast Away: Poor Tom Hanks spends all those years on that desert island with only a volleyball company. When he’s finally rescued, he finds out that everybody moved on without him, including his girlfriend, so he’s left to rebuild a whole new life. If that’s not depressing, I don’t know what is.

10. Edward Scissorhands: I know this film wasn’t really supposed to be sad, but it always gets me how quickly the stupid neighbors turn on poor Edward (Johnny Depp), even if they did think he was a criminal. It sucks to be different.

What movies do you find the most depressing? Are there any ones you like? Share your thoughts!

The teaser trailer for Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince hit the Internet last night, and even though it was about a minute, it was still worth waiting for. The highlight of the trailer is basically Harry and Dumbledore looking into the Pensieve for memories of Tom Riddle (a.k.a. the young Lord Voldemort).

Even though the actor who played Tom Riddle in Chamber of Secrets is not in this film, I have to admit they got an actor that looked a lot like him. In fact, the boy who plays Tom Riddle at 11 is actually Ralph Fiennes’ (who plays the adult Voldemort) nephew! He definitely gives off a creepy vibe in the trailer, reminiscent of Damien from The Omen or any of those weird kids in Village of the Damned.

You also get brief glimpses of Dumbledore fighting the Inferi, Ginny, and Harry bending over Ron (I know the exact part in the book it is, but at the risk of spoiling non-readers, I’m not giving anything away). Sadly, no scenes of the kissing that’s going to be in this film, but perhaps they’re saving that for the next trailer, and I seriously hope there is one.

So be sure to check it out, either on the official site or YouTube!

Whether you’re too old for Disney or not, you cannot deny that it has produced classic characters that are loved by many. All of them are endearing and special in their own way. It’s hard for me to pick favorites, but here are the ones that I think have made the greatest impact on pop culture:

1. Mickey Mouse: There would be no Disney without him. He’s been in countless cartoons and greatly influenced merchandising. Almost everyone who has been to Disneyland or Disney World has the mouse ear hat. And of course, you can always try to find the “Hidden Mickeys” in many Disney films.

2. The Genie: One of the funniest Disney characters and my personal favorite. As hilarious and scatterbrained as he was, he also could be very wise. But there’s no way he ever would have been so popular if Robin Williams hadn’t voiced him.

3. Tinker Bell: A classic character who continues to be used in some of the opening Disney logos. I’m really mad that they’re making a direct-to-DVD computer-animated feature spin-off of her going to the land of fairies. If Disney wants to make a fairy movie, that’s great, but why use Tinker Bell when it’s been years since Peter Pan? And having her talk? The whole point of Tinker Bell was that she didn’t talk! She didn’t need to talk! The great thing about her character is that she expressed her emotions so strongly that she didn’t NEED to talk!

4. Mufasa: Who else but James Earl Jones could voice a lion (though Liam Neeson is good too)? Mufasa was the freaking lion king! The ghost scene alone is one of Disney’s most greatest scenes.

5. Timon and Pumbaa: Without them, The Lion King would have just been a very sad movie. Plus the Mr. Pig scene was my favorite part in the whole movie.

6. Buzz and Woody: One of the best comedic duos of film history, let along Disney. They also brought an end to the whole “cowboys vs. spacemen” debate. I still don’t think there needs to be a Toy Story 3 though.

7. The Beast: The first non “Prince Charming” of Disney heroes, who taught us that inner beauty is true beauty. Quasimodo does the same, only I think he should get more credit for being the first disfigured animated character (that I know of).

8. Giselle: The only character on this list who is both animated and “real.” She managed to spoof the Disney Princess while at the same time making us fall in love with her sweet naivatee.

9. Mulan: The first Disney girl to actually kick serious butt, providing a stronger role model for young girls.

10. Snow White: I don’t like her as much as I used to, but I felt she deserved to be on the list because hers was the first full-length Disney animated film, and manages to still be regarded as a classic to this day. It made AFI’s top 10 animated list, anyway.

Like I said, I couldn’t fit them all on my list. Are there any you feel are missing from the list? What Disney characters do you think are the best? Please feel free to share!

Like Talladega Nights, Step Brothers — the latest film to pair Will Ferrell with John C. Reilly — makes the audience wonder whose character is stupider: Ferrell’s or Reilly’s?

There was no clear answer in Talladega Nights. Ricky Bobby was dumb, but Cal could arguably be dumber for going along with him all those years. In Step Brothers, Dale (Reilly) and Brennan (Ferrell) are losers of an equal sort. Both are unemployed, immature, and live with their respective single parents. But then Dale’s dad (Richard Jenkins) and Brennan’s mom (Mary Steenburgen) fall in love and get married, so the two are forced to share a home.

Despite their similarities, Dale and Brennan take an instant dislike to each other. They whisper threats, call each other names, and even try to kill each other (Dale pushes Brennan off a boat, Brennan tries to bury Dale alive). After a particularly vicious fight involving Brennan touching Dale’s drumset, the parents finally hit the roof and force them to start looking for jobs and other places to live. It isn’t until Brennan’s snotty and successful brother Derek (Adam Scott) gets involve that the stepbrothers actually start getting along. Unfortunately, their friendship causes even more problems.

The film’s humor is typically crude and vulgar. Like most Will Ferrell movies, there are certain sight visuals that no one should ever have to see. But like movies before it, it proves that a movie can be stupid and funny at the same time. The plot itself would be unbelievable if it wasn’t for the fact that there are really adults out there that refuse to grow up. But Ferrell and Reilly’s hilariously childish antics turn what would be a serious situation into a circus. It’s the kind of movie that you know is juvenile, but at the same time, you can’t stop laughing.

The second half tends to drag a little bit because Dale and Brennan trying to seriously act their age is somewhat unbelievable. By that point in the movie, their characters have been built up as so spoiled and idiotic that it seems impossible for them to change. The ending is also ridiculous, but as everyone knows, you shouldn’t take comedies too seriously, or else they’re not fun. And if you don’t take it seriously, Step Brothers is fun if you want to laugh really, really hard.

6 out of 10 Sparty Heads

It’s plainly obvious that there’s going to be another Batman movie. Even if the ending was not a huge cliffhanger, it’s made too much money for there not to be a sequel. The question is: who will be the next villain?

Christopher Nolan said that he wanted to do the lesser-known villains, but that didn’t stop him from doing The Joker (albeit from a creepy new perspective). Some people have speculated the Riddler will be the next one, but come on. Too much like the Joker, and not nearly good enough to measure up to Heath Ledger. Plus, let’s not forget Jim Carrey in Batman Forever.

Personally, I’d like them to try their luck with Catwoman. I know that nobody can outcrazy Michelle Pfeiffer and that the spin-off with Halle Berry was a disaster. Still, Batman needs a new love interest, and who better to step in than Selina Kyle/Catwoman? Given the great job they’ve done with the first two movies, they could pull it off. Just as long as they don’t make her look like a stripper/dominatrix.

Here are my casting suggestions to crack the whip:

1. Uma Thurman: I know she was already Poison Ivy in Batman and Robin, but we all know she can do better.

2. Beyonce: She hasn’t done anything in a while. Guys would see the movie just to watch her in the catsuit.

3. Sarah Michelle Gellar: We all saw Buffy; we know she can kick ass. Plus, she hasn’t done anything in a while. This could resurrect her career.

4. Anne Hathway: She was decent as 99 in Get Smart, so she can continue shedding the “good girl” typecasting with a femme fatale role.

5. Eliza Dushku: Ditto ass-kicking.

6. Rosario Dawson

7. Christina Applegate

8. Rachel Weisz

9. Zooey Deschanel: She’s definitely acts and sounds sassy enough to be Catwoman.

I know some of these choices sound dubious, but do you really want someone like Angelina Jolie or Jessica Alba when they’ve already done a bunch of sexy superhero roles?

As always, if you have your own suggestions or reasons why you agree/disagree with mine, feel free to leave a comment!

So I just heard that Christian Bale got arrested for allegedly assaulting his mother and sister. I was so shocked; I don’t pretend to think I know celebrities, since they just keep surprising you, but I honestly didn’t think he was the type of guy to do that. Of course, since this is only an allegation (so far), it might not be true, but what a thing to happen when The Dark Knight had just made a very successful opening!

I don’t think there should be worries that this will affect the future performance at the box office; between this, the overall positive reviews, and Heath Ledger’s creepy performance and untimely death, it will make more people want to see it.

In fact, people might start to think that this movie has a curse on it. Yes, it sounds stupid, but this wasn’t the only bad thing to happen surrounding the film. There was of course, Heath Ledger’s death by drug overdose, surrounded by rumors that he was disturbed by playing a psychopath (which has repeatedly denied by cast members and friends). And then there was the technician that was killed while preparing one of the film’s stunts. By the way, there is a nice little dedication at the film credits for both Ledger and the technician, though I didn’t stay long enough to see it.

Seriously, rumors of movie curses have happened before for films like Poltergeist and The Omen — and not just because they had crappy sequels. Whether they’re true or not, people just eat this stuff up, making the film more popular.

So don’t be surprised if you start hearing about a curse on The Dark Knight. But still, I really hope this thing with Bale isn’t true or at least a misunderstanding.

There’s a reason why Batman goes by “The Dark Knight.” Even though he’s a hero, people are frightened of him. The criminals are scared of him because he beats them to a pulp, of course, but the people are afraid of him because he looks like a villain. They see him as a vigilante, someone who is going to take the law into his own hands, no matter what. The only thing he won’t do to criminals is kill them, but he comes pretty close to treading that line. In short, he’s willing to do whatever it takes for justice, even if that means everyone will despise him.

So it’s fitting that the highly anticipated sequel to Batman Begins is titled The Dark Knight. It not only focuses on Batman, but also of the dark nature of the human race in general. How far is Batman or anyone will go to do what’s right? And what is right: the greater good, or saving your own life by eliminating evil?

Batman/Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) faces that question as he continues to clean up Gotham City, while his old flame Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is in a relationship with the new district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart). It isn’t just Rachel who is enamored of him: all of Gotham has dubbed him the “White Knight” because he strikes fear in the heart of the mob while maintaining his intregrity. He’s basically doing Batman’s job with a likable appearance. So Batman begins to think that maybe Dent is the hero Gotham needs.

Then along comes a random psychopath in a clown suit whose only identity is known as The Joker (Heath Ledger). A lover of anarchy, he starts killing and blowing up innocent people and public officials, demanding that Batman reveal his true identity. Dent, Batman, and Gordon (Gary Oldman) attempt to track him down, but the Joker is always one step ahead of them. With the casualties mounting, Batman must decide what limits he’s going to take and what he’ll sacrifice in order to stop the Joker and preserve the safety of Gotham.

The Dark Knight takes everything you know or could predict about superhero movies and turns it on its head. The plot moves at a somewhat disoriented pace, yet at the same time keeps you on your toes, becuase you won’t know which characters are good, what choices they’ll make, or basically what to expect next. It’s so suspenseful that even if you’re not sure what’s going on, it’s impossible not to be on the edge of your seat.

With the exception of Katie Holmes, whose role as Rachel Gyllenhaal replaced, everyone from the original movie has returned, and their performances are more spectacular than the last movie, if that’s even possible. Bale once again proves that he is Batman, and manages to be forceful and anguished without getting on the audience’s nerves. Michael Caine returns as Alfred and is welcome as comfort for Batman and comic relief for the audience. And while Gyllenhaal didn’t make me like Rachel anymore than Holmes did, she didn’t come off as the typical whiny superhero love interest.

Now that all the other stuff is out of the way, we can get to the nitty-gritty: Heath Ledger’s last official role as The Joker.

If a performance can make you forget, for two hours, that the actor died of a drug overdose, then that person is truly an actor.

Ledger’s performance is nothing quite like what you’ve seen in any version of Batman. Sure, the Joker does make you laugh, but make no mistake: he’s not trying to be funny. There’s a scene in the movie where he describes himself perfectly: he’s a terrorist. He has no master plan, other than to screw over every human being in the world until he’s the last one standing. Then he’ll sit back and watch everyone and everything burn.

And chaos isn’t fun without people trying to stop him. He isn’t afraid of defeat or even death. He plots to kill Batman, but realizes having no enemy would give him no purpose; he loves the thrill of the chase. The most unnerving part of his character is that even after it’s all over, nobody knows who he is. He tells stories about himself (mainly how he got the scars that the white makeup and lipstick is covering), but there are so many version that nobody knows which one is true. It’s frightening when someone you know is out to get you, but a random stranger you know nothing about and yet knows everything about you is a force to be reckoned with.

That’s what makes his performance so terrifyingly brilliant: to display all that in a character that at the end of the day no one will ever know.

Yes, there will probably be another Batman movie that will try to be as dark as its predecessors. But there will never, ever be an actor who could play the Joker like Heath Ledger. There will never, ever be another actor like Heath Ledger.

9 out of 10 Sparty Heads.